


Just Dues

by Zippit



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Community: fma_ladyfest, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2017-12-15 02:23:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/844213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zippit/pseuds/Zippit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some missions are more personal than others but their payoffs are so much sweeter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Dues

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [FMA_Ladyfest](http://fma-ladyfest.livejournal.com/) 2012 with the prompt: Rebecca plans a little revenge on Grumman after years of his unwanted affections/harassments.
> 
> Thanks to [](http://archiveofourown.org/users/catw00man/profile)[](http://archiveofourown.org/users/catw00man)**catw00man** for the beta. All other errors are mine.

It's on a Tuesday when Rebecca finally gets her evidence. The sight has her stifling a cry of triumph. After all these years of abuse, she'll finally get the stupid old man to stop. She puts the binoculars up to her eyes again and peers intently through them at the elegantly gowned woman making her way down the street. In her place should be General Grumman and the first time Rebecca saw her she thought the old fool had finally found a companion but several more weeks of surveillance showed that she and Grumman were one and same.

It’s not the pastime you would think a general would indulge in, but it’s perfect to keep him out of her hair. The tripod she procured for herself several days after this plan hatched in her mind has certainly come in handy. She has several weeks’ worth of pictures of Grumman going about his daily activities but the more important ones are the ones where "Ms. Grumman" emerges from the Fuhrer's quarters. 

Snapsnapsnap. 

She takes a few more photographs then peers through the binoculars again to ensure Grumman's heading to the same place he's been going to every time he dresses up like this, down to the corner then across the street to the left. She eases up from her kneeling position behind the edge of the roof wall then quickly packs away the camera and tripod. The snick of the quick release to detach the camera is followed by several snaps to latch the tripod legs together and collapse them down. It all goes into her backpack which she slings on then darts for the path heading downstairs she's laid out ahead of time.

Rebecca never expected to put her training to use like this but, hey, at least she's using it. They weren't doing anything out in the East other than getting into trouble with each other and wasting bullets day in and day out at the shooting range. Now she’s accomplishing something even if it’s more personal than anything else. It’s still something that matters. She runs down the fire escape stairs then jumps down into the alley below. She glances around then dashes through one alley after the other and manages to end up at her second vantage point ahead of Grumman.

She kneels behind the ever present stack of crates and boxes from the furniture store and opens the backpack so she can pull out the camera easily. She won't be staying at this position long. She doesn't need binoculars to spot Grumman here. A voice in the back of her head that sounds too much like Riza tells her it's a bad idea to try and blackmail the Fuhrer. She tells it to shut up like she has been for the past several weeks. Riza doesn't understand. She's never had to deal with the crap that constantly gets thrown her way by men like Grumman. There are few opportunities like the one she has right now.

She pulls her camera out and snaps a few more pictures of Grumman. He looks like any other old lady walking down the street with a slow sedate walk and a floral pattern dress. Shoulder length white hair frames his face, and a wide brimmed hat keeps the sun at bay and hides the details of his true identity from casual inspection. His head's tilted forward enough so his face remains mostly in shade. She has no idea why someone like Grumman would dress up like this or do so regularly. Maybe it would make sense in the privacy of one’s own home, but to venture out in public like this? She doesn't understand it at all.

One final click of her camera and she sits back on her heels with a satisfied smile. Grumman won't know what hit him. She watches him enter the same diner/bar he's been frequenting for weeks now. She's gone in a time or two herself and found nothing interesting inside. It's staffed by good waitresses and the food's alright but as for what brings Grumman back week after week she has no idea.

She watches Grumman sit down in a booth by the windows and order something. It's another few moments before she shakes her head then resettles everything into her backpack. She whistles to herself as she heads back down the alley then down another to head back to her place in the city.

~*~*~*~

The report is probably more detailed than she needs it to be but, well...she'd had too much fun putting everything she knew together. It shouldn't have been so fun but Rebecca thinks she deserves some of it considering all she’s dealt with over the years. She actually tried to use as many pictures as she could. The more evidence the better and the less chance the old fool would ever think of reverting back to his old ways. The most annoying part of it all, aside from the weeks of intelligence gathering, was having to duplicate everything meticulously to ensure one copy ended up on that old pervert's desk and another stayed with her for safe keeping.

She had no idea what to do with the negatives or where to put everything because she doesn’t know how long she’ll be staying in Central. So far her absence from her post in Eastern Command hasn't been an issue. Everything's still being sorted through after the chaos of the Promised Day. But seriously, if she didn't earn herself a promotion then Roy Mustang has something else coming.

She brushes her hair behind her ears before she sets the last picture into place on the copy she'll be handing Grumman in a few days. She'll be glad to be done with this so she can focus on more important matters like having Riza show her the sights of the city. She smirks and reaches out to flick the close up of Grumman's face under the hat with wind blowing his hair.

He'll definitely be in for a surprise.

~*~*~*~

She's shown into the Fuhrer's office by one of the numerous aides Grumman now has at his disposal. He's not even that bad looking either but she doesn't catch his name. She comes to attention before the desk and salutes. "Fuhrer Grumman, thank you for seeing me."

Grumman's sitting behind his desk polishing one of the numerous wooden decorations he usually has around the room. She's surprised so many of them made the journey with him from Eastern Command when they weren't even sure they'd be around to see the day after the Promised Day. "Rebecca, please, it's still just General Grumman." He sets the polish rag and the wooden statue to the side before he leans back in his chair and regards her. "Now what can I do for you?"

Rebecca raises an eyebrow at that. Oh really, is that how he's going to play it? Everyone knows he's the Fuhrer. "I'd like to speak to you about a personal matter." She's long gotten used to the way his gaze travels over her and though she doesn't fidget it doesn't stop the revulsion and disgust that rolls through her.

His gaze finally moves back up her body to meet hers and he tilts his head to the side. "Yes? What's the matter?"

"Permission to speak freely?" At his nod she stares straight past him and says, "I'd like for you to stop being a lecherous old man around me. It's unbecoming and it's about time it's put to an end."

He stares at her in surprise and sits forward, one hand gripping the armrest of his chair, but she doesn't give him a chance to speak. She steps forward and opens her report to the first page where Grumman's alter ego takes pride of place. It's a shot where he's facing the camera and there's a hint of a smile. She notes with satisfaction that Grumman goes still and stares at the sight before him. "I see." He leans back in his chair and regards her with an unreadable look. "And what do you plan to do with this?"

"Nothing as long as you leave me alone to do my job and treat me with the same respect you treat all the other soldiers." She holds his gaze. She won't back down. It's about time she took a stand. Riza never understood why she allowed this, but what she doesn't understand that she never had. There are some aspects of the military that you have to put up and shut up about.

"How broadly does this apply?" That gives Rebecca pause because she'd been under the assumption that Grumman only treated her like this. But if there are other female soldiers he accosts, then she's going to do something about that too. She crosses her arms and arches an eyebrow at him.

"Everyone under your command, General. From the freshest recruit to the long time campaigner. Do you understand me?" She's not leaving this office until she's made her point. With everything else changing around them, this would only be a small thing but possibly the one that matters most.

"Very well, 2nd Lieutenant Catalina. You have your wish." He closes the report then places his hand on the cover. "And what shall you do with this?"

She reaches out and pulls it out from under his grasp. "Take it with me." Everything else can be left unsaid. It's clear enough what she'll do with it if things don't change or get out of hand again. "Is that all, sir?"

"Yes, dismissed." He waves her off with a hand then swivels in his chair to face the window without even waiting for her salute. She strides out of the office with her head held high and fighting back a grin. She did it. Little old Rebecca pulled one over on the wily General Grumman. She manages to wait until she's outside to let loose a whoop. Maybe she'll put in for a transfer. That was always the option Riza pushed her to take but transfers involved knowing the right people and having someone who wanted you on the other end. They weren't all that many Roy Mustangs lying around.

But it's time to celebrate! Maybe she'll go grab Riza and they can go to their favorite expensive restaurant in the Market Quarter and treat themselves. That's what best friends do, right? She hums to herself as she heads out of Central Command to make a quick stop at her quarters then on to Riza's.


End file.
